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Holiday Party, with Recipes

Greg Van Boven and his partner David pull out all the stops for their annual holiday dinner for friends. Sharing responsibilities--Greg is the baker, David is the cook--keeps the prep doable. Portion sizes are kept small so the dinner progresses at an easy, comfortable pace.

Shopping tip:
These crab cakes don't have a lot of ingredients-they really showcase the delicate crab flavor. If you are fortunate enough to have access to fresh crab and you have the time to prepare it, it's worth the effort. However there are good sources for canned crab-the local fish market is best place to purchase. Jumbo lump, or lump crab is generally the highest grade.

Shopping tip:
This recipe features the "Three P's" of Italy: polenta, Parmesan, and prosciutto. Polenta is simply corn grits; we like Bob's Red Mill Organic variety (bobsredmill.com). Parmigiano-Reggiano is the premier Parmesan; it is aged at least 2 years, giving the cheese a granular texture and nutty taste that melts in your mouth. Prosciutto is best purchased at an Italian or specialty market; look for a good marbling of fat and have it cut paper-thin.

Heat about half the water with sugar and jelly, stirring to dissolve. Make tea with the rest. Combine the two mixtures. Cool, add lemon juice, brandy, and rum. Ripen overnight at room temperature, then freeze if you like. Makes about a gallon.

Note:
We do not have an image of this finished recipe to show you, but it is a fairly simple and refreshing after-dinner salad.

shopping tip :
Most of us will purchase canned hearts of palm, since fresh can be difficult to find. For fresh flavor, remove the hearts of palm from the can and store the stalks in their liquid in the refrigerator prior to using.

Serve small portions of this after-dinner salad. The slightly acidic dressing helps clear the palate.

shopping tip :
Diminutive Seckel pears (introduced in Pennsylvania in the 17th century) have a sweet, spicy taste. They have firm flesh and hold their shape, which makes them a good baking pear.

Mace has intense nutmeg overtones (it is derived from the outer membrane of nutmeg) and marries beautifully with pears for an unforgettable holiday dessert. This tart is literally easier than pie because you simply fold over the crust.

Line large baking sheet with foil; set aside. For crust: In medium bowl, stir together the 1 1/4 cups flour, the 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon peel, the salt, and the 1/4 teaspoon mace. Using a pastry blender, cut in shortening until pieces are pea-size. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon ice water over part of flour mixture; gently toss with fork. Push moistened dough to side of bowl. Repeat moistening flour mixture, using 1 tablespoon of remaining ice water at a time, until all flour mixture is moistened. Form dough into ball. On lightly floured surface, use your hands to slightly flatten dough. Roll dough from center to edge into circle about 13 inches in diameter. Transfer dough circle to prepared baking sheet.

Preheat oven to 375°F. For filling, spread almonds on dough circle to within 2 inches of edge. Place pears in large bowl. In small bowl, combine the 1/2 cup sugar, 4 teaspoons flour, 2 teaspoons lemon peel, and 1/2 teaspoon mace. Toss half of sugar mixture with pears. Mound pear mixture on top of almond-covered dough. Sprinkle remaining sugar mixture over pear mixture. Dot with butter.

Fold dough edge up and over pears, pleating dough gently as needed. In small bowl, combine egg white and 1 tablespoon water; beat with fork. Brush mixture onto top and side of dough. Sprinkle with additional sugar.

Bake about 45 minutes or until filling is bubbly, pears are tender, and pastry is golden. If necessary to prevent overbrowning, cover edge with foil for last 5 to 10 minutes of baking. Cool on baking sheet for 30 minutes. Serve warm. Serve with Spiced Whipped Cream. Makes 8 servings.

In large mixing bowl beat butter on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add sugar, baking powder, and salt. Beat until combined, scraping sides of bowl occasionally. Beat in egg, milk, vanilla extract, and lemon peel until combined. Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer. Stir in any remaining flour. Divide dough in half. If necessary, cover and chill dough about 30 minutes or until easy to handle.

On lightly floured surface, roll half the dough at a time to 1/8 inch thick. Using 2 1/2- to 3-inch cookie cutter, cut into desired shapes. Place 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake in a 375°F oven 5 to 7 minutes or until edges are firm and bottoms are very lightly browned. Transfer to wire rack and let cool. Frost with Powdered Sugar Glaze. Makes 36 cookies.